The Power Within
by Pyrrhus
Summary: When a goddess gets up to a little bit of mischief on Beltane, the Scoobies and the Fang Gang find themselves in a whole lot of trouble.


**The Power Within**

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Buffy the Vampire or Angel: the Series. These belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Branwen is a Celtic Goddess. However, all their little kiddies are mine. insert evil laugh here

Spoilers: Up to and including Season 6 for BtVS and up to AtS.

Notes: Please read if you want the fic to make sense.

This is a fic for gidgetgirl's challenge 'Beltane Babies.' This will be very sketchy as I am tired and in need of much sleep.

Now I'm going to tinker.

For BtVS, this is roughly set after i Wild at Heart /i in S4. Everything's AU after that. No Riley. Oz came back at regular intervals. Spike got to Dawn in time so no portal and no Buffy death. Tara and Willow stayed broke up. Spike still has his soul (reason unknown). So, we're sitting about Season 6 now. Age wise, Buffy and co are around 21, making Dawn about 16.

As for A:tS, we're at Season 3. So Darla's not pregnant, 'cause I've already got a plot for our miracle child.

Enjoy!

* * *

The first thing Tara noticed when she woke up was the comfortable surface she was lying on. No, scratch that, a body. A male body. Her bright blue eyes shot open and she scooted back, grabbing the blanket and holding it up to her chest, hiding anything this certain body may have seen. The first thing she saw was said body had a very nice looking ass. Once her eyes moved upward, they grew even wider. Only one person she knew had that shade of hair...

"Glinda, luv, it'd be much appreciated if I could have my blanket back." Spike propped himself up on one elbow, taking in the sight of almost-naked Tara appreciatively.

"Oh Goddess."

* * *

Similar thoughts were running through Faith's mind. She was dressed only in a sheet and was pacing the room while her companion lay sleeping. "B's gonna flip. Damn, I'm an idiot." Her brown eyes flickered to the body under the sheets and then back to the floor.

She'd slept with Angel. Man, she'd slept with Angel. What if he went psycho vamp again and went on a killing spree? Should she stake him now? No, 'cause what if he wasn't evil? Then B would really kill her. A knock on the door startled Faith into a fighting position. The door opened and Fred stuck her head in. Faith relaxed as Fred gaped and quickly closed the door again.

Faith decided then and there, whatever happened, people would get over it.

* * *

Oz stared at the woman lying next to him. This was not good. How was he going to explain this? He shouldn't have come back. Now look what happened. How was he going to tell Willow? Could he?

The blonde next to him stirred and looked up, frowning. "What am I doing on my lounge room floor?" Buffy looked around and her eyes widened when she saw naked Oz sitting beside her. "Oz?"

"Hey."

Buffy sat bolt up. "What happened?" Oz gave her a look. "Right. That happened. But how? We were waiting for Willow to get home and then... oh God." Buffy fell back. "I'm doomed. Everyone's going to hate me."

The black haired boy stayed silent. What could he say to that? Buffy kept on mumbling to herself. She sat up again and started collecting clothing. "I'm going to go have a shower and think this over." She left without another word.

Oz shrugged, got dressed and went to find some food.

* * *

Willow nervously wrung her fingers as she wandered home, trailing behind Xander. Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God. She'd gone too far again. She was supposed to be gay wasn't she? How come she'd just done the naughty with Xander? She wasn't supposed to be doing the naughty with Xander. She hadn't done the naughty with a boy in four years. But, hello! Gay!

Xander's thoughts were mostly going through every swear word he'd ever heard and then repeating some. He couldn't believe it. Him and Willow... it wasn't supposed to happen. It just wasn't. And in his basement. They needed to talk to Buffy.

* * *

Gunn and Cordelia were sitting opposite each other in the lounge of the Hyperion. Occasionally they'd make eye contact then went back to looking everywhere but the person sitting across from them. The only thing that had distracted them had been Fred running down the stairs, blushing, only to hide under the table, a habit she hadn't quite shed. Then it was back to the awkwardness.

They'd been talking weapons and then suddenly they'd gone at it like rabbits. This wasn't supposed to happen. What about Angel? Cordy was supposed to have feelings for Angel. She still kind of had those feelings for Angel. But what the hell had happened?

* * *

Buffy stared at Willow as she babbled everything out. Well, at first, it was just hyperventilating and then she'd gone to the babbling. She'd started with this morning and being gay and then she'd gone through her whole day until she'd reached Xander's. More hyperventilating was reached at this point. Then she'd said those six words.

_"Me and Xander did the naughty."_

Willow had almost fainted after she said this. The silence had been too much for Buffy, so she just said anything that came to mind. "Oh, that's nice." Which didn't really help the situation. Willow broke into tears and ran upstairs. Buffy then took a deep breath and nervously told Xander what had happened between her and Oz, who'd gone home shortly after Buffy had come out of the shower.

"Why with Oz?"

"I don't know. I really don't know. And I'm so confused." Buffy tried to fight back the tears that were slowly collecting in her eyes. Xander sighed and collected Buffy in a hug.

"It's gonna be okay, Buff. I promise."

* * *

Silence was thick at the Hyperion. It had been three weeks since that crazy thing with Gunn had happened. Cordelia had made Faith go to the doctor's when she'd been feeling ill. Cordelia had been feeling ill as well but she hid it better. They'd sent the results in the mail. Angel had taken one look the name it was addressed to and opened it without thinking. When the papers had fallen from Angel's shocked fingers, Cordelia had picked them up and scrolled through them.

Faith was pregnant. The early rises and the vomiting and the sudden craves for foods she usually hated with a vengeance. It all made sense to everyone... except Faith. The only person she'd slept with since she'd gotten out of jail had been the boss man himself. She couldn't be pregnant. Angel was dead. Dead people weren't supposed to have babies. Vampires were definitely in the non-baby-making column. So why was she pregnant?

"Faith, who was it?" Cordelia was looking at her friend rather seriously. Faith shook her head. "Faith! Get over yourself. Who's the daddy?"

Tears were in her eyes as she pointed to Angel. His eyes opened wide as he stared at her. Cordelia looked between the two. This didn't make sense. "Faith, we all know vampires can't have kids. Who is it?"

Faith just smiled. "I'm telling the truth, Queen C. It's Angel. I haven't seen any other guy since I got outta jail." Cordelia felt strangely hurt even though she'd had that little thing with Gunn.

"Do y'all need your books?" Fred's voice was coming from behind the desk where she'd come up to see all the kerfuffle.

"Of course!" Wesley smiled at Fred and went into Angel's office and came out with a book, already scrolling the index to find the page. Angel frowned when he saw the particular book. "It all makes sense. It was May 1st three weeks ago, correct?" Angel nodded, still confused. "Back when people still believed in the pagan Gods, there used to be a day to honour the god or goddess of fertility. Couples would jump over a bonfire and later that night, they would... make love. That night was called-"

"Beltaine."

* * *

AN: Reviews welcomed and revered. Thank you! 


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